Sports & Fitness: Performance Training, Rules & Recovery

Elite athletic performance and general fitness are sustained through structured hypertrophy strategies, sport-specific conditioning, and rigorous adherence to injury prevention protocols.

Man Mountain Biking

Good Food for Mountain Bike Racing

Whether you're racing short-track cross-country, marathon, downhill or stage, the right fuel can make or break your race. For short races, you don't have to eat during the ride, but your pre- and post-race meals affect performance and recovery.

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Close-up of a young woman smiling

How Fast Can You Go Up in Dumbbell Weights?

Using heavier weights is one of the keys to building muscle and getting stronger. Go too heavy too soon, however, and you'll undoubtedly use poor form and put yourself at risk of injury.

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Athletic man standing in  posture ready to run on treadmill.

Two-Hour Hard-Core Workout

Working out for two hours at a time is extremely demanding. It can be useful to push yourself through a plateau or to prepare for a particular event but should only be undertaken by people with plenty of training experience.

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Man holding lower back in pain

The Best Exercises When You Have DDD of L3 and L4

Degenerative disc disease, or DDD, occurs as part of the normal aging process. DDD, which is one of the more common causes for back pain, causes the discs in the spinal column to lose some of their cushioning. L3 and L4 are two of the discs in the lumbar area of the lower back.

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Which Is Better, Deadlifts or Power Cleans?

Neither the deadlift nor the power clean have inherent qualities that make one exercise better than the other. You may choose to incorporate one, both or neither exercise into your workout routine.

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Young Boxer boxing

Skin Burns Due to Punching Bags

Punching bags toughen your knuckles for martial arts practice, boxing and more strenuous sparring workouts, but you must start slowly. Repeatedly hitting the rough surface of the punching bag with bare hands can lead to abrasions if you attack your workout too aggressively.

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Weightlifter On Benchpress

Bench Press Bars & Cracked Sternums

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults between the ages of 18 and 64 should participate in muscle-strengthening exercise at least twice a week. Lifting weights, including bench pressing, can satisfy this requirement and enhance your overall health.

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group of women riding on exercise bike in gym

Exercise Bikes: Resistance Vs. Duration

An exercise bike is a low-impact yet highly effective cardiovascular workout machine. The resistance and duration of your workout are two exercise variables over which you have complete control.

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the fight

What Are the Benefits of Training in Boxing Shoes?

Buying new equipment every time you take up a new sport can drain you financially. It's tempting to skimp on items such as specialized shoes until you're sure you're going to enjoy the sport. But wearing boxing shoes during training may help you improve your footwork, an important part of boxing.

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Swimmers Racing in Marked Lanes

How a Female Swimmer Body Can Slim Down

Female swimmers typically have a muscular body type with a broad back and strong shoulders. This body type is advantageous for swimming. However, during the off season, many female swimmers slim down, desiring not to maintain a muscular physique.

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Woman swimming in ocean or lake

Strategies for Swimming a Half Mile

Swimming is good exercise, but it doesn't always come naturally. You may want to improve your long-distance swimming ability if you're training for a triathalon or other competition. Because swimming puts less strain on your joints, you may just want to swim longer distances to improve your health.

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Ready To Lift

Recovery From Deadlifts

Soreness and fatigue can be normal effects of doing deadlifts, but a few strategies may help you speed recovery. A coach or trainer can work with you to develop a balanced program to help your muscles recover so you can stay healthy and meet your fitness goals.

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Man and pain

Causes of Pulling and Popping in the Shoulder Blade

A pulling sensation and a popping noise in your shoulder blade can be irritating, but it may not be serious. If you are experiencing pain or a limited range of motion in addition to the pulling and popping, you may have a more serious problem.

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businesswoman with a repetitive strain injury

Clicking Problems in the Wrists

Your wrist may make clicking noises for a variety of reasons. Injuries, arthritis or wrist instability are possible causes for clicking noises when the wrist is moved. The clicking may not be serious, or it may require surgery to correct.

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Woman running

Superior Extensor Retinaculum Hurts During Running

Runners continually place strain on the joints and tissues of the lower body, and an intense or poorly designed training schedule, or improper running technique, might damage the tissues in your feet or legs.

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Portrait of a young woman on exercise bike in gym.

My Acne Gets Worse After Working Out

Working out keeps your heart, lungs and muscles healthy and helps prevent excess body fat. Regular exercise gives your body a toned appearance and increases your energy level. However, your desire to exercise can dissipate quickly if your acne gets worse after working out.

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